Mike Shanahan

NFL Head Coach
3x Super Bowl Champion

LEADERSHIP:
ADVISORY BOARD

Mike Shanahan is the quintessential football coach. For 38 years, Mike dedicated himself to the game, his staff and to thousands of college and professional players. During his NFL career, Shanahan was the head coach for the Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos and the Washington Redskins. He is a 3-time Super Bowl Champion, including back-to-back wins in 1998 and 1999.

In 2004, he joined the exclusive club of head coaches to post 100 wins in his first 10 seasons with one club. He finished the campaign and decade tied for fourth on this list of 12 coaches, six of whom are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As Head Coach, Mike has the highest winning percentage in Denver history (.646) and most wins in Denver history (138).

Mike’s college playing days at Eastern Illinois University were cut short when he ruptured one of his kidneys in practice. Soon after college graduation, Mike began his career in coaching at Northern Arizona University and then the University of Oklahoma under Barry Switzer. After coaching stints at his college Alma Mater and the University of Minnesota, Shanahan spent his final three years of college coaching at the University of Florida as Offensive Coordinator from 1980 through 1983.

Mike and his wife live in the Denver area and have two grown children. Their son Kyle is currently the Offensive Coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons.

Jim Steeg

NFL Special Events Executive
Sports Industry Consultant

LEADERSHIP:
ADVISORY BOARD

In his 26 seasons in charge of the National Football League’s Special Events Department, the Super Bowl grew from a championship football game to a four-day extravaganza that emphasized the participation and inclusion of the local game-site community, most importantly, at the business, educational and charitable levels. Steeg was considered the one individual who was responsible for growing the Super Bowl into the worlds greatest one day sporting event. The Super Bowl became the largest generator of annual revenues for the NFL aside from television, growing from $5 million annually to over $250 million.

Steeg was in charge of all aspects of the Super Bowl, including site selection, stadium and practice-site preparation and build-out; pre-game and halftime shows; National Anthem performers; team, media, corporate and fan accommodations; corporate hospitality; television broadcasting; telecommunications; transportation; security; logo design, decorations and signage; ticket design, allocation and distribution; “The NFL Experience;” the NFL Commissioner’s Party; the Super Bowl Concert Series, and the oversight of the local community’s Super Bowl Host Committee, as well as political relationships. He oversaw and directed as many as 10,000 employees in each site.

During his tenure, Steeg implemented many of the signature Super Bowl game-day-related elements that eventually became staples throughout professional and Olympic sports. This included the use of Jumbotron video screens; enhanced-audio TV broadcasts throughout the entire stadium; individual transistor radios, featuring the national TV and radio broadcasts at every seat; TV access at all concession stands; entertainment plazas throughout the stadium, both inside and outside the venue; an expansive corporate hospitality village; environmental recycling; children’s clothing shops in the stadium and “The NFL Experience,’’ all encompassing stadium decoration and in-stadium promotions, such as seat cushion give-aways, special pro football trading cards, panoramic cameras and other collectibles, and unique Stadium Collection merchandise. He created the first ever event oriented television station in “Super Bowl TV” which was broadcast for up to a week in each market and became a precursor to the NFL Network.

In addition, Steeg directed all of the League-sponsored Super Bowl charitable events off the field, including the NFL Youth Football Clinic; the NFL Cheerleading Clinic; the NFL’s Youth Education Town (YET) Center; the Super Bowl College Lecture Series; “The Taste of the NFL;’’ “Gridiron Glamour,” and the NFL Charities Golf Classic. He organized the first event television station in 1996 for Super Bowl XXX, after having developed the concept in 1993 with a joint venture in Los Angeles.

Steeg also implemented the NFL’s Super Bowl Minority- and Women-Owned Emerging Business Program in the early 1990s, a first in sports and events. The program mandated that the League and its various vendors and corporate clients hire local minority- and women-owned businesses whenever possible. It has been duplicated by all other sports Leagues and many major national events.
Beyond his duties with the Super Bowl, Steeg, headed the NFL’s 24-member Special Events Department, and oversaw a budget in excess of $135 million, the largest in the League office. He had oversight of the entire NFL postseason schedule; the Pro Bowl in Honolulu; NFL-Sr. PGA/Champions Tour Golf Tournament; NFL Owners’ and other League meetings; and all of the made-for-TV events, including “The Quarterback Challenge, “The Ultimate Defender’’ and “The Alumni Beach Challenge.’’ Under his guidance, he developed the NFL Draft into an annual signature moment.

He was the NFL’s Chief Liaison to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, sat on its Board of Directors, and assisted with all Enshrinement Weekend events. He was instrumental in revamping the relationship with enshrines, reorganizing the Board of Trustees and changing the presentation format of new Hall of Fame class as well as developing numerous exhibits, leading to the redesign in 2006.

From 1990-95, Steeg organized the seven American Bowl Games in Berlin, Germany and Barcelona, Spain. He put together the NFL’s 75th Anniversary celebration in 1994 (including the first use of throwback uniforms), “Pro Football’s Greatest Reunion’’ in 2000, and planned and executed the closing of Times Square in New York and The Mall in Washington, D.C. for the Kickoff Celebration to launch the 2002 and 2003 seasons, respectively. He also served as an instant replay official during League games.

Prior to joining the NFL’s League Offices in New York in January of 1979, Steeg was the Business Manager/Controller for the Miami Dolphins. During his four years with the Dolphins, from 1975 through 1978, Steeg was in charge of all of the financial aspects concerning the club (front office, football operations, tickets, etc.). He also managed stadium operations; negotiated player contracts; coordinated team travel; implemented group ticket sales and season ticket campaigns, and initiated in-house merchandise sales. For the 1976-1978 NASL seasons, Steeg also oversaw the operations of the Miami Toros/Fort Lauderdale Strikers including the transfer of the team from Miami to Fort Lauderdale.

Mike Pereira

Former VP of Officiating NFL
Current FOX Sports Analyst

LEADERSHIP:
ADVISORY BOARD

Since 2010, Mike Pereira has served as head rules analyst and on air talent for FOX Sports’ college and professional football coverage. In 2012, Sports Illustrated named Pereira as one of the NFL’s most indispensable broadcasting talents, saying, “Viewers have longed for broadcasters to provide accurate explanations from the NFL’s byzantine rule book, and Pereira, thankfully, has taken the burden off ex-jocks and announcers”. Pereira’s success led Fox in 2015 to adopt rules analysts for three other Fox properties — NASCAR, golf and FIFA soccer.

Prior to starting his media career with FOX, Mike had a long and distinguished career in officiating at the highest levels of the game. Mike started his NFL career as a side judge during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. In 1998, Pereira was promoted to NFL supervisor of officiating. In 2004, Mike was promoted to Vice President of Officiating for the league until his retirement from the NFL in 2009. As VP of Officiating, Pereira appeared on the NFL Network show NFL Total Access during the “Official Review” segment, to discuss key calls made during the previous week’s games with host Rich Eisen every Wednesday during the season.

Before working in the NFL, Pereira spent 14 years officiating college football games, with nine years in the Big West Conference (1982–91) followed by five years in the Western Athletic Conference (1992–96). He wore uniform number 77, which is now worn by side judge-turned-three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay. While working for the NFL, Pereira also served as supervisor of officials for the Western Athletic Conference.

In 2016, Triumph Books released Mike’s autobiography “After Further Review”. Mike also recently founded the non-profit “Battlefields to Ball Fields”, a program that helps United States military veterans learn the rules of officiating from experienced referees. The foundation pays for all the necessary equipment that an official needs such as a uniform, equipment, insurance, training, and provides invaluable mentorship.

Pereira was born and grew up in Stockton, California and graduated from Santa Clara University in 1972 with a degree in Finance. Pereira lives in Sacramento with his wife and commutes to the Fox Sports studios in Los Angeles each weekend during the football season.

Baron Flenory

Founder / CEO of Pylon 7 on 7 Football Camps

LEADERSHIP:
ADVISORY BOARD

Baron Flenory is an entrepreneur, and the Founder / CEO of Pylon 7on7 Football Camps. As an accomplished student – athlete who played his college football at the University of New Hampshire, Baron saw the need for a new type of youth oriented football camp. So in 2007, Baron started Pylon 7on7 and the camps have turned into a national series for skill level players to complete in a fun and safe environment. Over 1700 players have gone through the Pylon camps on their way to D1 careers, many on scholarships. In addition, 180 of Pylon alumni have gone on to NFL careers.

Baron and his executive team have created an innovative platform for aspiring players to gain national recognition by major media companies who are invested in college recruiting, like CBS Sports, Yahoo! and USA Today. Major brands like Nike and METRx also invest in the Pylon series as a way of reaching the valuable millennial audience, with cutting edge on site marketing and product activations. The series culminates each year with a national championship played the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

Steve Schmidt

Vice Chair, Public Affairs - Edelman
MSNBC Political Analyst

LEADERSHIP:
ADVISORY BOARD

Stephen Schmidt is a nationally recognized political analyst with experience as a media commentator, campaign strategist, and university guest lecturer. He is also strategic counselor to chief executive officers and senior decision makers at global corporations, professional sports franchises, non-profit organizations and academic institutions.

He has been described by national media as a “damage control master” and is recognized as one of the top public affairs and political strategists in the country. Additionally, having traveled, worked and conducted research globally, Steve has gained first-hand knowledge of public policy issues impacting the telecommunications, technology, financial services, energy, health care, entertainment and gaming industries.

Recognition Received
• Named to PR Week’s “Power List” of the 50 most powerful people in public relations.
• Awarded “GOP Campaign Manager of the Year” from the American Association of Political Consultants, for the 2006 re-election of California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger’s landslide victory was described by The New York Times as “particularly remarkable given that the Governor appeared to be all but finished just six months ago.” The Los Angeles Times commended Steve as having “ran a nearly flawless campaign” and overseen a re-election that “ran against a political tide that swamped other Republicans across the nation.”
• In the 2008 General election, Steve was recognized by The Washington Post for bringing “new life” to John McCain’s presidential campaign. The New York Times reported that under Steve’s leadership the McCain organization became “a campaign transformed: an elbows-out, risk-taking, disciplined machine.”

WELCOME TO PACIFIC PRO FOOTBALL

A Message From Pacific Pro CEO,DONALD H. YEE

Our team at Pacific Pro Football is excited and energized to build America’s most innovative professional football league, and we are looking forward to having football fans from around the world watch us grow. For all of us who love football, we are going to do our best to expand the football industry, and create exciting new opportunities and jobs for the next generation of exceptional football talent, who, for the first time, will be given a choice and alternative path to creating a career in professional football.

Pacific Pro Football is the culmination of many years of thought, research, and dreams. American football is a unique sport – born here but rapidly gaining interest in other parts of the world, and the professional version of it has proven to be the most compelling spectator and viewer entertainment in America.

But many in the football world have worried about maintaining its quality, the well-being of its players and most importantly, the safety of the game.

Pacific Pro Football will address these concerns, and we hope in some small way, contribute to the ongoing popularity of the sport, while at the same time increasing its quality and safety.

Pacific Pro Football players will be paid as professionals, treated as professionals, and trained as professionals. Our players will be taught how to be better at their craft, and how to understand and execute their responsibilities as professionals. Professional football is a different game than amateur football, and Pacific Pro players will learn and practice those techniques. Better trained players will lead to a better product, and thus, higher quality football players.

One of Pacific Pro Football’s primary objectives is to make the game safer for players. A primary way of doing this is to play fewer games. As we all know, football is an incredibly physical sport, so if we reduce the amount of games, we automatically reduce the amount of exposure to injury risk. We also will look at rules modifications in an effort to make the game safer.

Finally, we want to help Pacific Pro Football players begin exploring their life paths post-football. We’ll do this by being as creative as we can with our educational and vocational counseling services, as well as creating a community college tuition and books plan, along with an innovative internship program. Pacific Pro Football players also will be given instruction on basic life skills that all of us need – how to save for retirement, how to balance a checkbook, how to find a job.

Thank you for visiting us here at Pacific Pro Football. We are planning our inaugural game for July 2019. Please come back here and visit often and sign up for updates on our progress, and if any of you should have any ideas on how we can innovate, please feel free to share them with us.